


In His Seat

by Candasaurus



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Friendship, Mentioned Kairi (Kingdom Hearts), Mentioned Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-19 01:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20648963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Candasaurus/pseuds/Candasaurus
Summary: Heaving a breath, Riku leaned his head back and looked around the rest of the ship's interior. Nothing he didn't recognize, or wasn't unfamiliar with. Just another ship to anyone else.But it wasn't… it was Sora's.-Just a little thought process about Riku in the Gummi Ship.-title may change-





	In His Seat

**Author's Note:**

> I'll probably go through this later and add/edit things.   
I usually feel the need to write something when I can't sleep, so I'll probably miss something I wanted to add, or my grammar/spelling is garbage. 
> 
> If ya see anything weird, feel free to point it out lol
> 
> This fic is more Friendship centric, but it can be anything.

Riku hesitates before entering the cabin of the gummi ship. This wasn't the king's personal ship. No. This was the one Sora traversed on the last few years. 

The dents and scratches, the customization that beamed with Sora's personal touch, the stylized crown painted on the side of the booster. 

Even Donald and Goofy wouldn't argue at this point in time, this ship was undeniably Sora's. His ship. And now, Riku was about to enter for the first time, but not in the way he ever thought he would. Without its captain. 

Tracing the edge of the latch, he hefted himself through the threshold, passing the haphazardly made bunks, no doubt jumping world to world leaves cleaning duties in the back of the mind. 

He can tell whose bunk is which just at a glance.   
Donald's has man potions and ethers, and what looks to be a spare wand under his pillow. His night cap and slippers. This duck definitely had a routine and stuck to it. 

Goofy's was surprisingly tidy, even his bed made, with a book left, bookmark in place. 

Sora's had, well, Sora written all over it. Scattered reports, potions, synthesizers, moogle AND food recipes, hope he never mixed those up. Tiny knickknacks from every world. Nothing ever very big. Sometimes a rock or a pressed flower unique from that world. 

Blanket thrown aside like he leapt out of bed. A coffee mug? Had he stared drinking coffee- oh, nope, it's full of pencils and charcoal. 

A small chunk of wood with the barest of wood chips gone, and his favorite carving knife beside it. 

Tiny remnants of Sora, like he was just there and only stepped out for a bit. His toothbrush still stained green from what Riku assumes is potion residue. 

Sora was always able to keep his smile bright. His mother ways did promote good hygiene. 

Riku sighed into a small smile. His eyes catching the photos that were stuck to the walls of the ship. Sora definitely abused the camera function of the Gummi Phone, and found a means of printing his photos. If the box full of candids was anything to go by. 

He's seen so many worlds, met so many people, touch so many hearts. 

His own ached and throbbed, pulsing harshly into his throat.  
Tearing his gaze away, he ventured further, up the ladder and into the cockpit. The ship both larger and smaller than he envisioned. Oddly enough. 

It was the same layout as Mickey's, if only a different color scheme and, dare he say, more up to code. No offense to his majesty. 

Sora had become quite the little grease monkey. He mused.   
Coming up past the support chairs, and to the main control seat, he paused. 

Sora sat here. 

Every trek between worlds. Countless hours of travel. This very same ship from the beginning of his journey, where he had tried to invite Riku to join them to search for Kairi. 

If he hadn't been so haughty, and jumping to conclusions, could he have traveled with Sora, in this ship? Save Kairi, and avoid that whole ordeal?

Tracing the back of the chair, down to the arm rest, falling where Sora's hand would have rested when not on the gears. 

A smooth, worn patch, where worried fingers would grip and rub at the surface, nail imprints when the stress was too high. An indent from each fingertip. 

His legs making a decision for him, finishing his decent in front of the seat, slowly, he sat. Resting his arms on the rests, thumbs following the phantom pathways of another's.

Heaving a breath, Riku leaned his head back and looked around the rest of the ship's interior. Nothing he didn't recognize, or wasn't unfamiliar with. Just another ship to anyone else.   
But it wasn't… it was Sora's. 

Finally, his eyes rested on the control panel. He supposed he should get going. Namine would be waiting. He can't dawdle on every little thing that reminded him of his lost friend. 

Reaching for the power switch, his eye caught the corner of a photo, tucked just behind the lever. 

Stilling his breathing again, he gently picked at the frayed corner of the photo and pulled it out from its perch, bringing it closer to his line of sight. 

He could tell it was an older photo. One that was probably taken with an instant camera. Written on the back was, "Our Journey Together Begins!" The word 'together' having faded just bit more than the other words. 

Chuckling at what was obviously a younger Sora's sloppy handwriting, he turned it over, and his heart beat painfully.  
Within the contents of the images, Sora, Kairi, and himself, in front of their completed raft. All of them smiling, smiles that didnt know better, full of hope and wonder, the excitement for adventure. 

Sora between the two, his grin contagious, even in a captured memory, he couldn't help but smile himself. 

That's right. They were all supposed to go together. 

But, they haven't even been in the same vicinity of each other for longer than a few, fleeting moments since that day. All three of them had changed and grown so much, and as they grew, did they also grow apart?

Biting his lip to keep from letting out a sob, tears still formed in his eyes, streaking down his face. He had been doing so good. Keeping himself together, staying strong, not shedding a single tear, even after Kairi had returned without Sora. 

But now, now with the weight of the years coming crashing down on him. All his mistakes, all the grief he had caused, the sacrifices Sora made for them, he would trade places with Sora in a heartbeat. 

Pathetically, he huffed a laugh at that. Knowing full well Sora, if given the chance, would do everything the same again, if it meant everyone else had been safe. 

Unable to contain it any longer, he wept. Sobbed and cried, letting his voice ravage his throat raw. Heaving out all his regrets and wishes. 

The years they missed together, the laughs they could have shared, the battles they would have fought and triumphed over. Memories that would never be made. The journey that would never take place. 

For that moment, he mourned. 

Holding onto that photo like a vice, body trembling even after his voice gave out, and tears wouldn't produce. 

Only brought put from his stupor when a happy chime echoed through the cabin. An alert on his phone. 

Haggard breathing, he reached into his pocket, pulling out the device. Sniffing as be opened up his messages, apparently having missed a call. But a follow up text had been sent.  
Ienzo has notified him that Namine will be waking soon.

Putting the electric brick away, be rubbed his yes, wiped his nose, slapped his cheeks, and straightened himself in the chair.   
He placed the photo back, only this time with the people within facing outward, turning on the engine, lifting the giant machine into the air.

Granting himself one last, long look at the boy center frame.  
"Our journey is still waiting."

Taking off, the gummi ship disappears into the sky like a shooting star. Sometimes you have to create your own to make wishes on.


End file.
